MAILBOX

I am writing this response in regard to the last few letters placed in the Mailbox of The Daily Jeffersonian.

First of all, I would like to personally thank all of you in our community who stand behind the dog pound and truly understand the situation in our county pertaining to dogs.

The negative comment published in the paper by citizens in our community also makes my skin crawl. I realize first hand that my job as the chief dog warden is not an ideal job for everyone, but I wish to try and make the public aware that with the enormous amount of dogs in Guernsey County, we cannot find homes for all of them. It is just impossible.

On the average, we house from 40 to 60 dogs on a weekly basis; meaning we are all over our county picking up strays (unwanted dogs ), mean, dangerous and vicious dogs on a daily basis. We are also responsible for livestock kills by coyotes and dogs, as well as injured animals and dog bites.

There are only two wardens for our county and to keep up with the number of calls that come in to our facility daily is very trying. We do our best to work with the rescues to find homes for our countys unwanted dogs, but sorry to say there is just not enough room for them all anywhere. Unfortunately, euthanasia is the last alternative, so please dont allow negative comments to refrain you from adopting from our facility; even dogs deserve a chance.

Having to house dogs at the pound not knowing of their background and health we take the chance of infecting our kennel with diseases such as parvo, distemper and kennel cough. We just dont have enough funds to give them all the proper medical attention they need. So therefore, we take the risk of dogs passing diseases to one another, along with the risk of dogs dying here in our pound.

I truly wish there was an answer for it all, but sadly to say its out of our hands. Even if we as a community could afford to have them all treated prior to their housing here, there would still be no guarantee that they would even get a home.

I would also like to respond to a few statements made in the letter Pound comment which was published Aug. 18, 2003. The statement insinuated that the dog warden (myself) should be held responsible for the past and present existing conditions here at the GCDWD. First of all, I would like to state that I can only be held liable for my own actions as a dog warden. When a dog dies in our facility, that it is out of my hands. If I have no idea that a dog is sick in my kennel; I cannot do anything for it. If and when I am aware that a dogs health is poor at that time, I can assess the situation and handle it to the best of my ability.

As for myself being responsible for the past, I am sorry but that it a totally unfair comment. I cannot control what has happened in the past at the GCDWD, only can I control the present to the best of my ability and then at that time be accountable for my actions.

One other statement that I wish to respond to is the statement in regards to the deceased dog being DUMPED in the trash. I wish to respond by saying that there has never, nor will there ever be a dog that has expired in our facility be dumped in the trash as long as I am chief dog warden.

I myself am an animal lover and have learned to become a responsible pet owner. I do have animals of my own and my animals are all treated with love, respect and compassion. My animals have all been vaccinated, spayed and neutered and display their registration. Therefore if there were more responsible pet owners in Guernsey County then there would be no need for a dog pound.

I would like to take this time to invite any and all to become PRO-ACTIVE, become a volunteer at the GCDWD. At that time you can see for yourself the quantity of dogs that come and go through our facility. The enormous amount of calls, which range from strays to abused to sick and even mean and vicious dogs. That we, Assistant Dog Warden Dave Robinson and myself, Chief Dog Warden Paulette Winland, have to deal with on a daily basis. Then and only then can you degrade us for the job we do.